Retail Water Market Changes

The UK’s retail water market is changing. From 1 April, 1.2 million businesses, charities and public sector customers in England will be able to choose who supplies their water and wastewater retail services – this includes billing, water metering and water efficiency services.

When the market opens – creating the biggest market of its kind in the world – eligible customers will be able to shop around. The aim is to promote more choice, with customers able to benefit from more tailored packages and better customer service. But in order for that to happen, customers need to know what’s happening and be aware of the choices they can make.

With that in mind, the three organisations of the Open Water programme – Ofwat (the economic regulator of the water sector), Market Operator Services Ltd (MOSL) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), are holding three stakeholder workshops around the country ahead of market opening. The events will cover:

What consumer choice will mean for businesses, charities and public sector organisations

How the new retail water market will work

What your stakeholders might want to know before and after the market opens

How you can help, and how Open Water partners can help you

The support that is available to help you to engage and communicate with your members/clients about the market opening and the channels you might use.

We are offering the following three dates and locations. All events are 09.30am-1pm, including a networking lunch.

Workshop 1:

Friday 24 February 2017

Location: Bath

Workshop 2:

Wednesday 15 March 2017

Location: Birmingham

Workshop 3:

Tuesday 21 March 2017

Location: Leeds

The workshops will be held centrally in each of the cities listed and venue details and a detailed agenda will be confirmed nearer the time.